ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
UPSC
Recruitment Results finalized by UPSC in July, 2018
The following Recruitment Results have been finalized by the Union Public Service Commission during the month of August, 2018. The recommended candidates have been informed individually by post.
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Ministry of Commerce & Industry
First consignment of GI certified Shahi Litchi from Bihar exported to the U.K
In a major boost to export of GI certified products, season’s first consignment of Shahi Litchi from Bihar was exported to United Kingdom by air route today.The phyto-sanitary certification for exports of Shahi Litchiwas issued from newly established certification facility at Patna. The fruit is being exported by Cira Enterprises and sourced from farmers in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The Litchi is being imported by H & J Veg, London.
APEDA collaborated with Department of Agriculture, Bihar along with other stakeholders such as farmers, exporters and importers for facilitating exports of Shahi Litchi. Senior officials including Dr. M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA, N. Saravana Kumar, Principal Secretary Agriculture, Bihar and others participated in the event for exports of Shai Litchi.
Because of short-shelf life of litchi, there is need to explore exports opportunities for the processed and value-added products.
Shahi litchi was the fourth agricultural products to get GI certification from Bihar in 2018, afterJardalu mango, Katarni rice and Magahi paan. GI registration for Shahi Litchi is held with the Muzaffarpur-based Litchi Growers Association of Bihar.
Muzzafarpur, Vaishali, Samastipur, Champaran, Begusarai districts and adjoining areas of Bihar have favorable climate for growing Shahi Litchi.
India is the second largest producer of litchi  in the world, after China. The translucent, flavoured aril or edible flesh of the litchi is popular as a table fruit in India, while in China and Japan it is preferred in dried or canned form. Bihar tops in terms of production of litchi.
APEDA has been facilitating Bihar government in formulating State agri-export plan which would provide road-map for boosting agricultural and processed food products exports from the State. After the finalisation of State agri-export plan, the export potential of Makhana, mango, litchi and other fruits and vegetables can be harnessed.
Bihar government is making efforts in association with APEDA and other agencies for creating required infrastructures such as customs clearance facility, laboratory testing facility, pack-houses, pre-cooling facilities, which would harness and boost agricultural exports potential of the State.
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Prime Minister's Office
PM to inaugurate ‘Maitri Setu’ between India and Bangladesh on 9th March
PM to inaugurate and lay foundation stone of multiple infrastructure projects in Tripura
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate ‘Maitri Setu’ between India and Bangladesh on 9th March 2021 at 12 noon via video conferencing. Prime Minister will also inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple infrastructure projects in Tripura during the event.
The bridge ‘Maitri Setu’ has been built over Feni river which flows between Indian boundary in Tripura State and Bangladesh. The name ‘Maitri Setu’ symbolizes growing bilateral relations and friendly ties between India and Bangladesh. The construction was taken up by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd at a project cost of Rs. 133 Crores. The 1.9 Km long bridge joins Sabroom in India with Ramgarh in Bangladesh. It is poised to herald a new chapter for trade and people to people movement between India and Bangladesh. With this inauguration, Tripura is set to become the ‘Gateway of North East’ with access to Chittagong Port of Bangladesh, which is just 80 Kms from Sabroom.
Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for setting up an Integrated Check Post at Sabroom. It will help ease the movement of goods and passengers between the two countries, provide new market opportunities for products of North East states and assist seamless movement of passengers to and from India and Bangladesh. The project is being taken up by the Land Ports Authority of India at an estimated cost of about Rs. 232 Crores.
Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone of NH 208 connecting the Unakoti district headquarters at Kailashahar with the Khowai district headquarters. It will provide an alternative route to the NH 44. The 80 Km NH 208 project has been taken up by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited with a project cost of Rs. 1078 Crores.
Prime Minister will also inaugurate State Highways and other district roads, developed by the State government with a financial outlay of Rs. 63.75 Crores. They will provide all weather connectivity to the people of Tripura.
Prime Minister will inaugurate 40978 houses constructed under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana , completed with the financial outlay of Rs. 813 Crores. He will also inaugurate the Integrated Command and Control Centre built under Agartala Smart City Mission.
Further, Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the development of Multi Level Car Parking and Commercial Complex at Old Motor Stand. It will be developed at an investment of about Rs 200 crore. He will also lay foundation stone for widening of the existing road from Lichubagan to the airport from two lanes to four lanes. The work is being implemented by Agartala Smart City Mission at a project cost of about Rs 96 crores.
Ministry of Steel
Various Steps taken to ramp up Production of Iron ore and Steel
The Government has taken various steps to ramp up production of iron ore and steel to increase their domestic availability e.g. grant of permission to Steel Authority of India Ltd  to sell 25% fresh fines and 70 Million Ton dumps and tailings, accelerating auction of iron-ore fines by SAIL and early operationalization of forfeited working mines of Odisha by the State and Central PSUs etc. Further, in the Budget 2021-22, following measures have been announced:-
 Reduction in Basic Customs Duty on Semis, certain flat products of non-alloy steel and alloy steel, long products of non-alloy, alloy and stainless steel to 7.5%.
 Reduction in Basic Custom Duty for specified period on Iron and Steel Scrap to ‘Nil’.
 Reduction in Basic Custom Duty on raw material for manufacture of CRGO from 2.5% to ‘Nil’.
 Temporary revocation of Anti-Dumping Duty /Countervailing Duty  on  Straight Length Bars and Rods  High-Speed Steel of Non-Cobalt Grade  Aluminum-Zinc coated flat rolled steel product  Cold rolled and hot rolled stainless steel products.
 Revocation of CVD on Flat products of Stainless-Steel and discontinuation of ADD on Cold Rolled Flat Stainless-Steel Products.
 Reduction in Basic Customs Duty on Copper Scrap from 5% to 2.5%.
Steel, being a deregulated sector, the domestic steel price is determined by various factors like demand and supply, trends in prices of raw materials and is also influenced by global conditions. The important factors contributing to increase in prices of steel in recent months, inter-alia, include the demand-supply mismatch following Covid-19 pandemic lockdown and gradual unlocking. The solar power developers in their interactions with the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy have indicated that there has been volatility in prices of inputs/ raw material for solar power plants including increase in prices of steel used in solar power projects. However, the Ministry of New & Renewable Energy has not received any formal report on the issue of solar EPC companies being adversely affected on this account.
This information was given by the Union Minister for Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister remembers the victims of Partition
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi remembered victims whose lives were lost in the partition of the country, as the nation observes 'Vibhajan Vibhishika Smriti Diwas' today. Shri Modi paid tributes to them and recalled the the struggles of those who were uprooted from their homes.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said;
“विभाजन विभीषिका स्मृति दिवस उन भारतवासियों को श्रद्धापूर्वक स्मरण करने का अवसर है, जिनका जीवन देश के बंटवारे की बलि चढ़ गया। इसके साथ ही यह दिन उन लोगों के कष्ट और संघर्ष की भी याद दिलाता है, जिन्हें विस्थापन का दंश झेलने को मजबूर होना पड़ा। ऐसे सभी लोगों को मेरा शत-शत नमन।”
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
New semester to be postponed of various Universities in China including Southwest University
In meeting of Ms. Preeti Sudan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, with Chinese Ambassador few days back, she had requested that students who had returned from China were representing that their respective universities were asking them to join back or they would lose their admission status. This request has been responded to favorably. The Chinese Embassy has written that State Council of China has decided to postpone the new semester of the universities including Southwest University for which Secertary  had represented.
The students will be notified by their respective Universities accordingly.
Ministry of Science & Technology
JNCASR kicks off crash course in molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases focusing on COVID 19
The course is designed to impart theoretical knowledge as well as hands-on training
Only simulated samples, not containing an infectious virus, have been used for training
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research , an autonomous research institute under the Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India, has established a state-of-the-art COVID Diagnostic Training Centre at its Jakkur campus to help build capacity for the national fight against COVID 19 pandemic.
Molecular diagnostic techniques, such as the real-time PCR, play a crucial role in the diagnosis and tracking of epidemics, including COVID-19. Unfortunately, India lacks personnel skilled in and adept at performing a real-time PCR in clinical diagnostics. Appreciating the crucial and unmet needs of the nation, JNCASR has embarked upon a campaign by establishing a state-of-the-art diagnostic training facility to train personnel in a real-time PCR for COVID-19. The primary objective of the program is to train multiple batches of trainees, 6-10 trainees per batch, in real-time PCR.
The program envisages training people in multiple and sequential batches over the coming months through crash course spanning over a week. The first batch has undergone training from June 16 to 22, 2020, at COVID Training Facility, JNCASR.
The comprehensive crash-course spanning over a week comprisesboth classroom lectures and laboratory experiments. The course is designed to impart theoretical knowledge as well as hands-on training. The practical laboratory sessions have taught the participants the processing of infectious samples, nucleic acid extraction and preservation, real-time PCR and other molecular techniques, data analysis, and, importantly, standard operating protocols  of a clinical diagnostic facility. Only simulated samples, not containing an infectious virus, have been used for training. Following the course, the trainees will be well-positioned to join a clinical diagnostic facility and handle samples in a clinical setup and perform a real-time PCR for not only COVID but any infectious organism.
“Scientific robust training on handling and processing of infectious samples, use of real-time PCR and other molecular diagnostics, data analysis, and the standard operating protocols  of a clinical diagnostic facility are not only extraordinarily important in the time of COVID-19, but will continue to ensure the preparedness of the nation in the future to speedily address similar threats,” said Prof Ashutosh Sharma, Secretary, DST.
The program is open for young candidates with a graduate or post-graduate degree in medical laboratory testing  offered by any medical institute in India. Personnel currently engaged in clinical service, and diagnostic laboratories are especially encouraged to apply for the training. Registered personnel are offered a suitable remuneration in addition to free boarding and lodging by the institute.
Photographs from the training programme
Ministry of Finance
Extension of time of the Task Force for drafting a New Direct Tax Legislation
A Task Force was constituted by the Government in November, 2017 to review the existing Income-tax Act, 1961 and to draft a new direct tax law in consonance with economic need s of the country. It was required to submit its report by 31st of July, 2019.
The Government has allowed the Task Force to submit its report by 16th of August, 2019, in light of the fact that the new Members of the Task Force requested for more time to provide further inputs.
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
DIVYA KALAMELA will be organized from 06th - 15th October 2023
Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities  organizes unique event showcasing the products and craftsmanship regular Divyang entrepreneurs/artisans from across the country, ‘Divya Kala Mela’ to continue the efforts divya kala mela will be organized from 6-15 October 2023 at Secunderabad, Hyderabad. The event would present an enthralling experience to the visitors as vibrant products from various parts of the country including Jammu and Kashmir, North Eastern states, handicrafts, handlooms, embroidery works and packaged food etc. will be seen together.
This is a unique initiative of DEPwD towards economic empowerment of PwD/Divyangjan. The Divya Kala Mela presents a bigger platform for marketing and showcasing the products and skills of Divyangjan . The Divya Kala Mela, Varanasi is the seventh one in series starting from 2022  Delhi, December 2022,  Mumbai, February 2023,  Bhopal, March 2023,  Guvahati, May 2023]  Indore June 2023  Jaipur 29th june-5th july2023  Varanasi, 15-24 September, 2023Secunderabad,Hyderabad 6-15 October, 2023 .
Around 100 Divyang artisans/artists and entrepreneurs from about 20 states/UTs will be showcasing their products and skills. There would be Products in the following broad category:Home Décor & Lifestyle, Clothing, Stationery and eco-friendly products, packaged food and organic products, Toys & Gifts, Personal Accessories - Jewellery, Clutch Bags.It will be an opportunity for all to go ‘vocal for local’ and products made by Divyang craftsmen with their extra determination can be seen/purchased.
The 10 Days ‘Divya Kala Mela’, Secunderabad, Hyderabadwill be open from 10.00 A.M. to 10.00 P.M. and witness a series of cultural activities, including performances by Divyangjan artists and well-known professionals alongside. Visitors can also enjoy their favorite foods from various regions of the country at the event.
The event is scheduled to be inaugurated on 6th October at 5.00 P.M. by Dr. Virendra Kumar ji, Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment, GOI. The occasion will be graced byVarious other dignitaries.
Department has grandiose plans to promote the concept, as part of which ‘Divya Kala Mela’ is being organized across country. During 2023-2024 the event will be organized in 12 cities.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
Shri Dharmendra Pradhan conducts video conference with CMDs of PSUs of Steel and Petroleum companies;
Reviews essential supplies and precautionary measures
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas &, Steel Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, today conducted a video conference with CMDs of all PSUs of Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel. He reviewed the status of supplies of petroleum products in the country, operations of refineries, terminals and steel plants and also reviewed the safety measures being taken for the employees and their families.
In a statement, Shri Pradhan later said, “We are working to ensure that supplies of essential products to the people are not disrupted. At the same time, we are ensuring safety of our team members.”
“Our team members who are putting service over self and ensuring that essential supplies are not hit, deserve applause. I have instructed CMDs to take all necessary steps to ensure safety and well being of our employees and their family members,” he further added.
“These are challenging times. We must endure, we must prevail. Our team is fully geared up to meet the challenges. Together, we shall overcome.” the Minister said.
Finance Commission
Finance Commission to visit Uttar Pradesh
The 15th Finance Commission headed by Chairman, Shri N.K. Singh and including Members of the Commission, Shri Ajay Narayan Jha, Dr. Ashok Lahiri, Dr. Ramesh Chand, Dr. Anoop Singh and other senior officers will visit the State of Uttar Pradesh from 19th to 22nd October, 2019.
On the first leg of its visit, the Commission will visit Varanasi. It will undertake a number of field visits including the implementation of various Government flagship programmes in the city. The Commission will also visit the Handloom Centre and Urban Rejuvenation Project at Varanasi.
On 21st October, the Commission will begin its meetings in Lucknow - the first meeting will be with the Rural Local Bodies at Yojana Bhawan. Following this the Commission will hold the meetings with the representatives of the Urban Local Bodies and the representatives of the Political Parties of the State. The Commission will also hold a meeting with the representatives of Trade and Industry bodies of Uttar Pradesh.
On the final day, the Commission will have a detailed meeting with the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath alongwith his cabinet colleagues and State Government officials. There will be a presentation to the Finance Commission on the State’s Finances and also on Developmental/ Flagship Programmes of the State Govt.
Ministry of Railways
Bids for PPP in Passenger Train Operations project opened today.
Bids from private and public sectors to operate 29 pairs of trains with around 40 modern rakes entailing an investment of around Rs 7200 crores.
Railways will expeditiously complete the evaluation and decide the bids.
After detailed exercise and multiple rounds of discussion with the industry players, the bids for PPP in Passenger Train Operations project are opened on 23 July 2021. This is an entirely new attempt to bring world class trains through Public Private Participation  in India.
Ministry of Railways has received bids from both private and public sectors to operate 29 pairs of trains with around 40 modern rakes entailing an investment of around Rs 7200 crores. The Ministry of Railways will expeditiously complete the evaluation and decide the bids.
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
‘Source India’ at 87th Izmir International tradeshow in Turkey
India is the Partner Country in the 87th Izmir International tradeshow which begins in Turkey from Friday, September 7, 2018. In this tradeshow India will also be launching a mega business pavilion ‘Source India’ hosting 75 Indian companieswith the aim of tie-ups in order to increase India’s exports to Turkey and other neighbouring countries.
This is part of a series of Source India pavilions that the Trade Promotion Council of India  is hosting in important tradeshows across the world for boosting India’s exports. TPCI is the trade and investment promotion organization of the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce &Industry, Government of India, and works to open new areas for co-operation in trade and investment between India and rest of the world.
The 87th Izmir International tradeshow will be held in Izmir – the third most populous city in Turkey, after Istanbul and Ankara – from 7th to 11th September, 2018. Owing to India’s participation as Focus Country status, India’s National Anthem will be played and the National Flag displayed on the screens put up in the show. Special signage will be erected to lead buyers and visitors to the ‘Source India’ pavilion.
Source India, with 75 Indian participating companies, is a multi-product pavilion though some of the key potential areas for increasing trade with Turkey are ceramics, cereals and machinery or mechanical appliances.
Turkey’s ceramic imports from the world is USD 339.8 million and only USD 16.6 million from India and India exportsmore than USD1.2 billion worth of ceramic products to the world.
India exports cereals worth USD 91.6 million to Turkey compared to Turkey’s import of USD 1.7 billion worth of cereals from the world. India has the capacity to increase its export in this sector as it is currently exporting USD7.3 billion worth of cereals to the world.
India’s Ambassador to Ankara, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, hassaid that there is great potential for tie-ups between Indian and Turkish agriculture and food processing sectors. Collaborationsmay range from farming technology, high yielding varieties, farm machinery, food processing and cold storage. The large Turkish market and preferential access to European markets will provide great opportunities for Indian entrepreneurs to set up joint ventures in Turkey.
Ministry of Education
Education in Mother Tongue
Section 29 of Chapter V under Right to Education Act, 2009 clearly states that, “medium of instructions shall, as far as practicable, be in child’s mother tongue.”
Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are under the domain of the States/UTs. As envisaged in para 4.11 of National Education Policy  2020, wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, is to be the home language/mother tongue/local language/regional language. Thereafter, the home/local language shall continue to be taught as a language wherever possible.
The NIPUN Bharat Mission of the Government of India through its Mission Implementation Guidelines suggests that teaching learning process and development of teaching learning material should be done in mother tongue. Similarly, Vidya Pravesh- a three-month play-based school preparation programme for Grade-I and NISHTHA FLN  have also re-emphasised the same.
As per Unified District Information System for Education Plus  2020-21, there are 28 languages in which teaching learning is going on in grades . The languages are as follows:
Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English, Bodo, Khasi, Garo, Mizo, French, Hmar, Karbi, Santhali, Bhodi, Purgi.
During the formulation of NEP 2020, a large number of consultations were held with different stakeholders including State/UT Governments, Government of India Ministries, Members of Parliament, public etc. The Draft NEP 2019 was uploaded on Ministry of Education’s website to elicit comments and suggestions from the various stakeholders. Further, letters were written to the States/UTs Governments and Government of India Ministries inviting their views and comments on Draft NEP 2019. An Education Dialogue with Hon’ble MPs of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kerala, Karnataka & Odisha was organized in the month of July and August, 2019. Around 2 lakh suggestions on the Draft NEP were received from various stakeholders. A special meeting of CABE was organised in Sepetember, 2019 to discuss Draft NEP. 26 Education Ministers of various States and UTs, representatives of States and UTs, Members of CABE, Heads of Autonomous Organizations, Vice Chancellors of Universities, attended the meeting along with senior officials. A meeting of Parliamentary Standing Committee was held in November, 2019 to discuss the Draft. Accordingly, based on all feedback/commentts received, NEP 2020 was finalized and the same had been approved by the Union Cabinet on 29.07.2020.
The information was given by the Minister of State for Education, Smt. Annpurna Devi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.